Rescuer: April 7, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2017

RESCUER

DEFINITION:

To save from danger or harm.

SCRIPTURE:

He has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Today we share some thoughts on the third word on which we can discover another unique characteristic of Jesus Christ.

What is it that makes Jesus unique. Last Wednesday we shared some thoughts on the first characteristic that makes Jesus unique -- the revealer of the invisible God. And then yesterday we discussed the second characteristic that makes Jesus unique -- our reconciler to God.

And today, the third characteristic that makes Jesus unique -- He alone is our rescuer from death. Job asked probably the most often asked question that ever was asked in Job 14:14, “If a man dies, will he live again?”

The Bible tells us that death is the consequence of sin. Ezekiel 18:20 says, “The person who sins will die.” Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned.” And in Romans 6:23, “the wages of sin is death.” The reason Jesus came to this earth and died on the cross was not just to save us from paying the penalty of our sins but to rescue us from eternal death and give us eternal life.

Someone once wrote that the life of Christ is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin’s womb and an empty tomb. The Bible tells us that one day all of us who are related to Jesus by faith as a child of God will exit the tomb because Jesus is our rescuer from death.

Take a moment to read the verse we have written above from Colossians. The apostle Paul in this verse is reminding us that all of us who are related to Him, JESUS, by faith will also be delivered from the consequences of sin and death.

This is a promise made by God that awaits every believer. Jesus did not come to this earth to make bad people good. Jesus came to make dead people live. This is why we can say that Jesus is our rescuer from death.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

PRAYER:

Thank You that You are our rescuer from death. Thank You that You died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Thank You for going to heaven to prepare a place for me and those I love who know You as their Savior a home for eternity.

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Reconciler: April 6, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY APRIL 6, 2017.

RECONCILER

DEFINITION:

To bring into agreement or harmony; make compatible or consistent.

SCRIPTURE:

God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:20.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Today we look at the second unique characteristic of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus is different from all other men because He is Holy, He is also different and separate because He is our reconciler to God.

Paul tells us in Colossians chapter 0ne that through Christ, God, “reconciled all things to Himself,” having made peace through the shedding of blood on the cross. Jesus has reconciled us in His fleshly body through death, in order to present us before God holy, blameless and beyond reproach. The word reconciled really means here, a change in a relationship from hostility to harmony. That is what happens when we ask Jesus for forgiveness of our sins and accept Jesus as our Savior. Jesus then becomes our reconciler to God.

We see instances of reconciliation all around us. A husband leaves his wife and later decides to return. A father and son, or a mother and daughter are alienated for years and come back into a renewed relationship with each other. Two business partners have a disagreement and part ways soon to return to work with one another. These are illustrations of reconciliation. Typically, reconciliation comes at a cost. Something must be sacrificed.

God does not break His relationship with us. We break our relationship with God. It is not God being reconciled to man but it is man who is reconciled to God. Jesus reconciled us to God not through His birth but through His death on the cross. Jesus became our reconciler to God because He made the sacrifice that makes it possible for us to be reconciled to God. This is what makes Jesus unique.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

PRAYER:

I thank You today dear Lord, for dying on the cross so that You can reconcile me to the Father. Direct me today to serve You with honor and complete commitment to You.

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Revealer: April 5, 2107

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 5, 2017.

REVEALER

DEFINITION:

To make known; to lay open to view, display, exhibit or divulge; the one who reveals all religious truth exclusively from God to humans.

SCRIPTURE:

It was the Father’s good pleasure for all His fullness to dwell in Him. Colossians 1:19.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

For the next three days, we are going to look at three words, Revealer, Reconciler and Rescuer, which are three characteristics of Jesus Christ.

Most historians will agree that Jesus walked this earth some 2,000 years ago. Even Agnostics will agree that nobody influenced the world for good more than Jesus. Christians, because of their faith in Jesus, have built hospitals, homeless shelters, universities, orphanages and have been in the center of many scientific advances.

But all these things do not make Jesus the most holy person that ever lived. What has made Him the most Holy person that ever lived is told us by Paul in Colossians. “He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:16) because He is the Son of God. “Image” means “copy” or “likeness.” In Philippians 2:6 Paul says that Jesus “was in the form of God.” No one has seen God but God sent Jesus to be the revealer to us of the invisible God.

If you believe there is a God, don’t you want to know who He is, whether He is loving or hateful, whether He is truthful and can be depended on, or whether He is deceptive? What does He want from us and what does He demand from us? God sent Jesus to show us.

Jesus is different from the founders of other religions. In all other religions, there is a difference between the founder of that religion and their message. For example, Muhammad never claimed to be able to change people’s lives like Jesus did. He pointed people to read the Qur’an. Buddha pointed people to the noble path that would save people.

Jesus did not point people to the message, He said “I am the message.” In John 14:6, He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father than through Me.”

Jesus not only reveals the invisible God who is the creator of all things, but revealed God’s way of salvation and became that way by giving His life on the cross to save us from our sins.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

PRAYER:

Thank You, dear God, that You sent Your Son into this world in Your image to be the revealer to us of Your invisible self. Help me this day to be led by Your Holy Spirit to be more like You. We pray for a special blessing for my family and friends and help me to communicate Your love for each of them as revealed through Your son Jesus Christ.

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Success: April 4, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY APRIL 4, 2017.

SUCCESS

DEFINITION:

To achieve a favorable outcome; the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the obtainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like; a successful performance or achievement.

SCRIPTURE:

If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success. Ecclesiastes 10:10.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

To be successful in life one must have a vision. Many people today just live from day to day and have no vision to accomplish a worthy goal.

The world seeks a single formula to produce one set of results for all people. In other words, if you want to start a vision you might have, there is a template available to you how others have been successful in that project.

But if you want to be successful doing something for the Lord, He has a plan far more creative, far more individualized, and far more personal for you.

Let us look at the life of Moses as an example for us today. You can read Exodus 1:22 to 2:25 and get a clear brief biography of the life of Moses.

Although as an adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter he enjoyed a certain degree of privilege. Moses did not have a vision for success. He reacted to situations impulsively. He was quick to react when there was conflict. He was prone to trying to right wrongs which even led him to take the life of an Egyptian. He fled Egypt and spent forty years in the wilderness tending sheep. He went from living in a palace to living in a tent.

Unknown to Moses these years were not wasted because God used this time to prepare Moses for service to the Lord. When brokenness had accomplished God’s goal, God called Moses from the midst of a burning bush where He gave Moses a specific set of instructions for his life mission. Moses obeyed God’s instruction and God enabled him to successfully lead 600,000 people out of Egypt.

Put yourself in the shoes of Moses. Many people go through difficult and even devastating experiences and then one day come face to face with the reality and calling of God. Does this ring a bell for you. Maybe you got to that place, like many do, and then ignored what God was telling you because you did not want to pay the price that God wanted from you for success in God’s plan.

When you face the reality of hearing from the Lord, stick with His plan for you. It will be personal, creative and individualized just for you. Even if it sounds so extraordinary to be possible, move ahead because the Promised Land is just ahead for you.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

PRAYER:

Help me to not just set back in life with no vision as to how to serve You. Give me a vision to be successful in Your sight. Help me then to lead my family and my friends to a closer relationship with You.

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Adversity: April 3, 2017

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY APRIL 3, 2017.

ADVERSITY

DEFINITION:

Misfortune, fate or calamity; an unfavorable event or circumstance.

SCRIPTURE:

Joseph said to them (his brothers), “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." Genesis 50:19-20

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The life story of Joseph as recorded in the book of Genesis, clearly illustrates for us today that God sometimes grants permission for adversity to enter our lives so He might accomplish an ultimate good.

When Joseph shared two dreams that he had with his brothers, dreams in which Joseph took center stage and his brothers bowed low to serve him. The brothers were insulted and plotted for a way to destroy him.

Many of you know the story of Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery and he eventually became the slave of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the King. Joseph quickly rose to prominence but Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of rape and he was in prison for two years for a crime he never committed. This would certainly be adversity of the worst sort.

Joseph did not allow adversity to change who he was. He kept his integrity and remained faithful to God. As a result, he gained the respect of his prison guards.

While in total confinement in prison he rose to a position of leadership. God gave Joseph an opportunity to interpret a dream of an imprisoned royal servant. The interpretation that Joseph gave proved to be true. It took two more years but at the right time God reversed Joseph’s adversity after he correctly interpreted a dream of Pharaoh. He was released from prison and put in charge of the granaries. Joseph continued to trust God and it led to Joseph becoming prime minister. This allowed Joseph at a later date to save his family in the time of a severe famine.

When Jacob died, the brothers were afraid that with their father gone, Joseph would retaliate to pay them back for their cruel treatment of him. Joseph however assured them not to be afraid because he was in the place where God wanted him.

We can learn from the experiences that Joseph had. Throughout all of the painful events in his life Joseph trusted God to care for him.  Joseph realized that in spite of all the adversity he had experienced in his life that God had been in charge all the time.

When we as believers belong to the Lord we can be assured that any adversity we face remains subject to God’s power and grace. He never stops being in charge of our lives. He never loses authority over us or over the circumstances we may be facing. God is always in control.

On occasion the Lord allows adversity in our lives but we should never forget that He sometimes chooses to use adversity to fulfill His purpose in the lives of those who trust and obey Him.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Romans 8:28.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

PRAYER:

Help me to overcome adversity in my life according to Your perfect timing so that Your will may be accomplished. Help me to always seek Your will for my life and to be obedient to all Your commandments.

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